Shoe protector



F 7, 948. A. BEsTLAND SHOE PROTECTOR Filed July 8, 1946 gwuem bbm LEONARD A. BESTLAND Patented Feb. 17, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,436,187 SHOE rRo'rEo'ron Leonard A. Bestland, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July 8, 1946, Serial No. 681,989

1 Claim.

This invention relates to shoe protectors for painters, plasterers and the like. In such occupations the shoes are frequently spattered with paint or other materials and it is the primary object of my invention to provide means which may be readily applied to, or removed from, the shoes and which will cover and protect the toes, uppers and sides thereof. Another object is to provide means of this nature which is simple and inexpensive, neat in appearance, not likely to become disarranged from the shoe upon which it is used, and which will not itself wear the shoe.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my shoe protector showing it in use upon a shoe.

Fig. 2 is a bottom or inverted plan view of the shoe protector alone.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawing, A designates generally my shoe protector which is adapted to fit on and protect the shoe B. The shoe protector comprises a cover member or shield Ill of suitable material such as a fabric, having a toe or forward portion open at its bottom and shaped to fit downwardly over and cover the toe and upper and forward portions of the shoe B, and having rearwardly extending tabs or ends I l to fit back along the sides of the shoe. An elastic heel strap I2 is attached at its ends at l3 to the tabs II and is adapted to pass around the heel of the shoe, thus pulling the cover i9 in a rearward direction, while a bottom or cross strap M of elastic is attached at its ends at I5 to the lower side edges of the cover in position to extend beneath the shoe sole forward of the heel, and thus hold the cover taut over the instep.

In the forward part of the cover Ill I provide a toe clasp assembly comprising an arched spring member l6 extending crosswise, and a forwardly and downwardly curved spring ll secured rigidly at l8 to the center of spring [6. These springs l6 and I! have apertures near their lower ends, and at the top of the arch, as designated generally at l9, and are sewed into the cover by stitches passing through the apertures, designated at 20. The lower ends of the spring it have inturned hooks 2| and the spring I! a similar rearwardly turned hook 22. All edges of the cover are, of course, hemmed as indicated 2 throughout at 23 and around the forward lower edge a stiffening strip 24 embodied in the hem holds the front of the cover to shape.

In use the cover is slipped downwardly and rearwardly over the shoe so that the hooks 2| and 22 respectively engage and clasp the toe cap of the shoe in the groove between the cap and sole. The straps l2 and I4 are engaged around the heel and beneath the sole of the shoe and the cover is thus anchored in place on the shoe, and held taut and neat in all directions. The cover then protects all parts of the shoe not ordinarily covered by the trouser cuffs (not shown) and prevents the shoes from becoming spattered and unsightly from paint and the like. The protectors will be made in rights and lofts, of course, and being simple and inexpensive and readily applied to or removed from the shoe, are of great advantage to painters and like workers.

It will be noted that the clasp assembly, engaging the shoe cap at three points, at front and opposite sides, enables the protector to fit shoes of all ordinary shapes, and to accommodate itself to pointed or blunt toes. In any case the front of theprotector will be pulled even and tight around the toe by the back strap l2. The forward clasp member [1 is furthermore wide enough to hold the device in place when crawling and the like and serves also as protection for the toe.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claim. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A shoe protector of the character described, comprising a flexible cover member shaped to fit downwardly over the forward part of a shoe and having tab portions extending rearwardly along the sides of the shoe, an elastic heel strap connecting said tab portions and extending around the heel of the shoe, an elastic cross strap connected to the cover member and extending across the sole of the shoe forwardly of the heel thereof, a T-shaped clasp of spring material having an arched cross spring fitting across and over the shoe toe and a forwardly and down- I wardly extending spring fitting down over the front of the shoe toe, said springs all having hooks at their ends for engaging the edges of the shoe toe. and the said springs having apertures by which the clasp member is sewed inside the forward part of the cover member.

Number LEONARD A. BESTLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Miller Aug. 7, 1883 Meeteer Feb. 22, 1898 Taylor Dec. 5, 1899 Reese Nov. 29, 1910 Slasor June 28, 1921 Argard Aug. 16, 1932 

